Use this when:
Inside these folders are files named FILE0000.CHK , FILE0001.CHK . These are the "orphaned" file fragments that CHKDSK recovered. chkdsk other drive
While a basic chkdsk X: command only scans for errors without fixing them, you can add parameters to perform specific repairs. Run Windows Check Disk to repair external hard drives Use this when: Inside these folders are files
The process of scanning for bad sectors ( /r switch) puts the drive under heavy stress. If the drive head is already physically damaged, forcing it to scan every sector can kill the drive completely, making data recovery impossible. chkdsk other drive
If you hate the black command prompt:
You will see people recommend different letters after the slash. Here is what they mean: